Chapter 38: The Calm Before the Storm - Training Begins

The Hashira stood in silent contemplation after hearing Ubuyashiki's words. A new Upper Moon with time manipulation was no joke, and combining that with Akaza's overwhelming combat skill made this upcoming battle the toughest yet.

Rengoku's fiery voice broke the silence. "There's no time to waste! If a fight is inevitable, we must train our bodies and minds to surpass our limits!"

Giyu nodded quietly, his gaze resting on Saitama for a moment. Even now, none of the Hashira could fully understand Saitama's power, but they knew they needed all the strength they could get — even from an unpredictable bald man in a cape.

"Alright then," Sanemi cracked his knuckles, "Let's see what the so-called strongest man can teach us."

Saitama rubbed his head awkwardly. "Um… I just told you. Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and running."

"That's not training!" Sanemi shouted. "That's warm-up!"

"Not if you do it every day for three years," Saitama muttered.

Tanjiro stepped forward. "Saitama-san, could you help us? Even if your training is… unusual, you've fought powerful enemies before. Your advice could be useful."

Saitama sighed. "I guess… but I'm not really a teacher."

Still, with everyone's eyes on him, there was no escape. Training began the next morning.

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Day One: Endurance Hell

Saitama led the Hashira, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke on a "simple" morning run. For Saitama, 10 kilometers was nothing. For the others? It quickly became a death march.

"How is he still not sweating?" Mitsuri gasped, legs trembling.

"I feel like my lungs are on fire," Zenitsu cried.

Even Gyomei, the strongest physically, was breathing heavily — not from exhaustion, but from struggling to understand how a man could run with such relaxed ease. Meanwhile, Saitama casually ran backward, waving at them.

"Come on! This is just the warm-up!"

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Day Two: Punch Training

"Alright," Saitama said, standing in front of a massive boulder. "If you wanna be strong, you need to punch like you mean it."

He casually tapped the boulder with his fist.

BOOM!

The entire thing shattered into dust, leaving a crater in the ground.

Everyone froze.

"That's not training," Shinobu whispered. "That's a natural disaster."

"But that's the goal, right?" Saitama scratched his head. "Just… punch hard."

Inosuke immediately punched the ground. "ARRRGH!" His fist hurt, the ground was fine, and he ended up dancing around in pain.

"Yeah, maybe start smaller," Saitama said.

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Day Three: Sparring with Saitama

It was brutal.

Rengoku's flames, Sanemi's wind slashes, Giyu's water forms — nothing could touch him. He didn't dodge; he just stood there. Every blade, every fist, every technique simply bounced off his skin.

"That's impossible," Sanemi growled.

"No, it's just… his skin is really tough," Shinobu reasoned, though even her scientific brain couldn't explain this.

"Okay, my turn!" Saitama raised his fist.

Everyone screamed and dove for cover.

Saitama's punch grazed the air, sending a shockwave that flattened several trees behind them.

"Oops. Sorry," Saitama said.

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At Night - Tanjiro's Reflection

As the stars glittered above, Tanjiro sat by the campfire, staring at his hands. Saitama's power was unimaginable, but it also felt… lonely. To be so strong that nothing truly challenged him — could someone like that understand the value of hard work and teamwork?

Saitama plopped down beside him. "Can't sleep?"

"Yeah… just thinking." Tanjiro hesitated. "Saitama-san, can I ask? Why do you fight?"

Saitama stared at the fire for a long moment. "I wanted to be a hero. But after a while, everything got too easy. Now… I guess I'm just hoping to feel excited again."

Tanjiro smiled softly. "Then maybe… fighting alongside us will be fun for you."

Saitama blinked, surprised. "Huh. Maybe."

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Meanwhile - Akaza and Rokuro's Preparation

Deep in a hidden cave, Rokuro stood in front of an ancient time altar. Her fingers traced the air, replaying visions of Saitama's fights. No demon, not even Muzan, had ever faced someone like him.

"Strength without limit," she whispered. "But even he is bound by time."

She smiled darkly. "Let's see what happens when time itself becomes his enemy."

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End of Chapter 38